+ All Categories
Home > Education > Gandhi's Concept of Ahimsa

Gandhi's Concept of Ahimsa

Date post: 15-Apr-2017
Category:
Upload: anjan-behera
View: 13 times
Download: 2 times
Share this document with a friend
17
Anjan K Behera Assistant Professor, Department of English Tetso College, Dimapur A Look at Gandhi’s Adaptation and it’s Practicality [email protected]
Transcript
Page 1: Gandhi's Concept of Ahimsa

-Anjan K Behera Assistant Professor, Department of English

Tetso College, Dimapur

A Look at Gandhi’s Adaptation and it’s Practicality

abeh

era@

tets

ocol

lege

.org

Page 2: Gandhi's Concept of Ahimsa

Ahimsa – The WordIt means respect for all

living things and avoidance of violence towards others.

Mentioned in ancient Vedic texts.

Origin recorded by Bodewitz (Dutch – Sanskrit scholar).

Origin in Sanskrit – himsa=to strike, ahimsa=not to strike/nonviolent.

Himsa – To Strike

Ahimsa – Not to Strike

abeh

era@

tets

ocol

lege

.org

Page 3: Gandhi's Concept of Ahimsa

Ahimsa – The Understanding

All living things have the ‘spark’ of the creator (divine spiritual energy).

Same creator, same origin.

When you harm someone, you are harming yourself.

Hence, live in peace and nonviolence.

Adam and Eve – The Origin

as per the Bible

abeh

era@

tets

ocol

lege

.org

Page 4: Gandhi's Concept of Ahimsa

Ahimsa – The ExtentNot limited to

physical nonviolence

Extends to nonviolence in words, deeds, and thoughts.

Key in Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism.

Extends to other religions as well.

abeh

era@

tets

ocol

lege

.org

Page 5: Gandhi's Concept of Ahimsa

Gandhian ‘Ahimsa’Adapted from the religious

context.Ahimsa = Love, an

emotion which cleanses the mind

Ahimsa = Conscious effort to free the mind from hatred, jealousy, anger

Essential for continuation for human species and life on Earth.

abeh

era@

tets

ocol

lege

.org

Page 6: Gandhi's Concept of Ahimsa

Ahimsa is a by product of Satya“I often describe my religion as

religion of truth. Of late, instead of saying God is Truth, I have been saying Truth is God, in order more fully to define my religion. We are sparks of Truth. The sum total of sparks is indescribable as-yet-unknown Truth, which is God.”

Truth (satya) is God (dharma). God is love (ahimsa).

abeh

era@

tets

ocol

lege

.org

Page 7: Gandhi's Concept of Ahimsa

Truth and Courage – Ahimsa’s armour

Ahimsa requires truthfulness and fearlessness.

“There is only one whom we have to fear, that is God. When we fear God, we shall fear no man; and if you want to follow the vow of Truth, then fearlessness is absolutely necessary.” - Gandhi

abeh

era@

tets

ocol

lege

.org

Page 8: Gandhi's Concept of Ahimsa

Ahimsa is not the same as non-killing, or nonviolence due to cowardice.

You can kill the snake to defend yourself and your loved ones, but not if it doesn’t threaten your well being!

abeh

era@

tets

ocol

lege

.org

Page 9: Gandhi's Concept of Ahimsa

Under ahimsa, also comes the ‘Bread Labour’

Borrowed from Ruskin Bond and Leo Tolstoy (writers), who themselves borrowed this concept from the Bible.

Man must labour and earn his own bread.

Removes any scope for corruption or unfair wealth distribution.

Corruption is also a violence, it kills development.

abeh

era@

tets

ocol

lege

.org

Page 10: Gandhi's Concept of Ahimsa

Ahimsa is the extreme limit of forgiveness.

But forgiveness is a quality of the brave. 

Gandhian Ahimsa has been mostly influenced by the Vedic texts, the Mahabharata in general, and the Gita in particular.

“Fight for what is right, fight if absolutely needed, fight to defend your honour, fight with honour!”

abeh

era@

tets

ocol

lege

.org

Page 11: Gandhi's Concept of Ahimsa

Ahimsa is then an ideal state. A goal to be pursued.

Blessed is the man who can perceive the law of ahimsa (nonviolence) in the midst of the raging fire of himsa all around him. 

A true nonviolence activist accepts violence on himself without inflicting it on another – heroism.

abeh

era@

tets

ocol

lege

.org

Page 12: Gandhi's Concept of Ahimsa

Perpetrators of violence – criminals – products of social disintegration. 

In the face of violence and injustice, Gandhi considers violent resistance preferable to cowardly submission. 

abeh

era@

tets

ocol

lege

.org

Page 13: Gandhi's Concept of Ahimsa

Some Incidents to be Considered2010 Protests against

Nagaland University Vice-Chancellor Prof K Kannan.◦Non-violent nature.◦Result – Successful

2012 Delhi Gangrape Protests◦Non-violent nature.◦Result – Partly successful

abeh

era@

tets

ocol

lege

.org

Page 14: Gandhi's Concept of Ahimsa

2015 Dimapur Lynching Incident◦Violence◦Result – Worsened

situation. Created new victims (the ‘Wanted’ list)

2016 – SSA Teachers’ Protest in Nagaland◦Non-violent◦Result -

Unsuccessful

abeh

era@

tets

ocol

lege

.org

Page 15: Gandhi's Concept of Ahimsa

2016 ACAUT protest against arrest of three of their leaders.◦Nonviolent◦Result – Successful

2017 ULB Election Crisis◦Nonviolent at first◦Turned violent on Feb 1◦Buildings burnt down◦Violent protestors imposed bandh◦Result - Successful (CM resigned, ULB

elections cancelled) at a price!

abeh

era@

tets

ocol

lege

.org

Page 16: Gandhi's Concept of Ahimsa

Gandhian ‘Ahimsa’ is structurally similar to Biblical teachings.

“Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you. Bless them that curse you and pray for them, which despitefully use you.”

Peace, love, compassion, non-violence.

abeh

era@

tets

ocol

lege

.org

Page 17: Gandhi's Concept of Ahimsa

Critique of AhimsaAhimsa alone cannot

guarantee success. It’s an ideal, a fantasy.This concept has been

critiqued on this ground. Can worsen the situation

– Sri Aurobindo attributed Gandhian ahimsa to the partition. Ahimsa delayed independence. Allowed other forces to rise.


Recommended